Platform Computing is the first and only grid computing software vendor to adopt the Common Criteria (CC) certification process. Platform has achieved Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level (EAL) 2 certification for Platform LSF, Platform LSF HPC and Platform LSF MultiCluster. These products have been subjected to formal rigorous analysis and testing to examine all aspects of the product and its security services.

Common Criteria Overview
The Common Criteria is an internationally recognized ISO standard (ISO/IEC 15408) used by the US Federal government and other organizations to assess security and assurance of technology products. The CC provides a standardized way of expressing security requirements and defines the respective set of rigorous criteria by which the product will be evaluated. It is widely recognized among IT professionals, government agencies, and customers as a seal of approval for mission-critical software.

Under Common Criteria, products are evaluated against strict standards for various features, such as the development environment, security functionality, the handling of security vulnerabilities, security related documentation and product testing.

The international scope of Common Criteria allows users from other countries to purchase IT products with the same level of confidence, since certification is recognized across all complying nations. Countries that recognize the Common Criteria include the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France and Japan.

The Common Criteria also specify a series of Evaluation Assurance Levels (EALs) for evaluated products. A higher EAL certification specifies a higher level of confidence that a product's security functions will be performed correctly and effectively.

Common Criteria has emerged to become the world standard for certifying software as it involves formal rigorous analysis and testing. The Common Criteria organization analyzes the security down to the coding level and also covers all aspects of implementation and documentation. Part of this certification is extensive testing which involves a formal and comprehensive audit to ensure that repeatable processes are put in place, thus confirming the validity of the product design.

To learn more about Common Criteria, visit: www.commoncriteriaportal.org